Mattress



July 2 1946- J. w. BowERsox 2,403,043

MATTRES S .Filed May 10, 1945 Limia-5:

Patente-cl July 2, 1946 Joseph W. Bowersox, St. Petersburg, F1a., assigner to Sealy, Incorporated, Memphis., Tenn., a corporation of Delaware Application May 10, 1943, Serial No. 186;328

3 Claims. l

This invention relates in general to a ne-w and improved mattress construction and method of A making it.

Important objects of the invention are to provide a new and improved method of making a mattress which will not bulge at the sides when it is compressed, to obviate the necessity offilling the mattress from one end or with cushion stuffing machines, and to make a mattress by a new improved process of filling one-half first from one side and then turning it over and filling the other half from the other side. f

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved mattress which has a cen- .tral partition to prevent the sides from bulging when compressed and having the corners of the partition cut away so that the corners of the mattress may be reinforced by additional filling.

A still further object of the invention is to reinforce the edges of the mattress by turning over theedges of lling and adding layers of filling the filling of the upper` portion of the mattress on top of the partition and within the side walls;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the filling of the other portion of the mattress in overturned position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail illustrating the compression of the folds and layers of the mattress when the tufts are applied; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section illustrating the cut away portion of the partition and the method in which the corner is packed and reinforced by padding at this corner portion.

A common method of making and filling mattresses is to compress the padding in a cushion stuffing machine and to insert the filling through an opening at one end of the mattress casing, and then to sew up the casing and then to finish it 'with tufting and roll edge machines.

In the present invention, the mattress is carefully made and assembled in an entirely different manner which insures that the filling or stuffing of the mattress is carefully and accurately laid in place with the mattress in its full or extended position from which it will not bulge -or expand when the completed mattress is afterwards used under weight or compression.

In carrying out this invention, a fabric box or siding 5 is formed of two outer layers of fabric, enclosing a thin layer of cotton or other filling 6 which is stitched together at the edges and across the filling in a well known manner to give the side stiffness and rigidity so that it will stand uprightly when placed upon edge on a table or other plane surface. Y Y q' Connected within the sides and approximately midway of the edges thereof is a fabric partition 'l withrturned edges 8 stitched or otherwise securely fastened to the inside of the outer side walls 5. This partition is of relatively inflexible material winch will prevent spreading of the mattress by holding the sides together and will also preventbulging of the edges when the mattress is filled and under compression.

VAt theA corners of the mattress, the partition has angularly cut edges 9 which vterminate short `of the corner of the mattress so that access may be had from either side of the mattress Iwhen it is being made to insert extra or additional padding I0 to build up and reinforce the corners. This construction also prevents the corners of the mattress from being drawn in and allows them to remain rounded and full, at the same time restraining the sides and edges of the mattress from bulging outwardly.

In constructing the mattress, the sides and partition thus assembled are placed upon a table or other level surface with one side uppermost and the exposed side is then filled with several layers Il of stuing or lling usually applied in layers and the marginal edges l2 of the layers being folded over to accurately fit within the sides and ends of the mattress and to insure that the matress will be well and closely fitted againstI the inside of the sides in order to equalize the central portion of the mattress. If marginal sides and ends are both folded inwardly, there are four folds at the corners to additionally ll and reinforce the mattress at the corners. One or more layers of lling I3 may be applied at the central portion within the folded marginal edges.

When one side of the mattress has thus been sufficiently filled with filling or stuffing, a cover sheet I4 is applied over it and the edges of the sheet are attached by stitching or otherwise to the edges of the sides 5. The mattress is then inverted with the filled side downwardly, leaving the lower side exposed and open and this side is then carefully packed and filled in the same manner and a cover sheet is applied to it. These cover turned over, a separate wad of padding or filling l0 may be inserted and packed in the corners and through the opening made by the cut away edge 9, and after the second half of the mattress is filled, additional padding may be placed at the corners in this second side of the mattress to correspond with the padding or filling l0 previously inserted, thus insuring that the corners may be filled out and rounded from both sides of the mattress during the filling operation thereof.

In finishing the mattress, the edges of the covers I4 may be stitched together as shown in Fig. 1 and at the upper corner of Fig. 4, to form a'smooth or finished corner edge at both upper faces of the partition, the layers being folded over inwardly at their marginal edges to fit tightly within the side and end walls, and at least one layer of stufling or filling material disposed within the inwardly turned edges of the layers applied to the mattress spaces at each side of the partition.

2. In a mattress, a continuous side and end t wall having a firmly attached central transverse partition formed of flexible non-stretching mate- `rial with out away angular edges at the corners of the mattress only, to permit access through the partition at the corners, stuing material disposed in to the mattress spaces in layers at opand lower edges thereof, if desired, or either or both edges may be fashioned into a roll edge Il.

Although the present structure and vmethod of making-it are described particularly in connection with the making of a mattress, it may also be applied to the making of pads and cushions for' l other purposes. The central partition not only prevents the mattress from bulging under compression when in use, but it also provides means for holding up the sides and applying the stuffing u or filling in a novel and efficient manner.

I claim: 1. A mattress comprising connected side and end walls with an intermediate flexible but nonstretching partition connected to the inner faces of the walls, a plurality of layers of stufng orz`- filling material in the mattress spaces on both 40 'posite sides of the partition disposed closely within the side and end walls thereof, and additional padding at the corners of the mattress and connected through the openings in the partition at the corners of the mattress.

3. In a mattress, a connected side and end wall, a non-stretching flexible partition secured medially within the side and end walls, a plurality of layers of stuffing material inserted in the top and bottom mattress spaces on opposite sides of the partition, the edges of the layers folded inwardly to fit closely within the side and end walls, additional layers of stuffing material disposed centrally at the top and bottom of the mattress within the inwardly folded edges of the other layers, cover sheets extending over the stufiing material and attached to the edges of the side and end walls, the partition having openings at the corners thereof, additional stuing material in the-corners of the mattress connected through the corner openings in the partition, and tufting extending through the opposite sides of the mattress and through the central partition, for confining the outer side faces of the mattress.

JOSEPH W. BOWERSOX. 

